Teacher/Educator Worksheet

Water Play: Ages - 0 to 2

What to do:

Preparation: A container of water or water table, spoons, cups, a selection of loose parts (rocks, leaves, bark, corks, seed pods, flowers, etc.), towels and clean clothes.

Infants love to explore different textures, smells, and flavours too! Let them explore the water with their whole body. If you have it in a container, make sure it is at a level that they could get in it if they wanted, it is great for them to feel it in their toes and fingers. Provide some materials and loose parts, spoons, cups and let them explore. Add some ice blocks if it’s a warm day.

Remember to empty the water out onto the garden before you go inside. Do not leave water in containers unattended.

Provocations:

I wonder where water comes from?
I wonder where it goes?
Is it warm or cool?
I wonder what happens when you put these things in the water?
What sounds can you make with the water?

Possible lines of development:

Paint different surfaces with water.
Jump in puddles.
Water with different flavours (add juice, salt, herbs, etc).
Make music with water.
Make a rain painting.
Collect water that has not been drunk to water plants.
Model water-saving behaviour (turning off taps, half flush toilet, recycling water, use water from a tank, etc).
The different states of water e.g. ice, steam, water.

Water in Nature: Ages - 2 to 3

What to do:

Preparation: Some containers; water, rocks, a range of toy animals that live in different environments (sea creatures, wetland creatures, farm creatures, etc); salt.

Create some small world habitats that incorporate water. It may be the ocean, a creek, a wetland or pond, a farm with a dam, a lake, a beach, etc. Use some animals or make some. You could also try paintings, collages, models, or drawings. Talk about different types of water (freshwater, seawater). Add some salt to a glass of water and let the children have a sip. What does it remind them of? Does it taste nice? Would they drink it?

Ask the children what else uses water. How do plants and animals use water, and what type of water do they need? Where do they get it? How do they get it?

How does the water get to the river or the ocean?

Explore water in nature in all its forms. Investigate what water is used for and how it travels (waterways versus pipes). Visit your local waterway or beach.

Read or YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y3Ta5xcKV4) the indigenous story of Tiddalick the frog.

Provocations:

I wonder if there are different types of water?
I wonder what happens when it dries?
I wonder where it comes from?
I wonder where water goes?
I wonder what uses water?
I wonder what we use water for?
I wonder what animals use water for?
I wonder what plants use water for?
I wonder what happens if the water is dirty?
I wonder if water travels faster in a pipe or in a river / creek?

Possible lines of development:

Plant root systems (how do plants get water from the ground?)
Transpiration.
Visit your local creek, wetland or beach.
Arrange an incursion through your local water retailer or a local plumber.
Explore the difference between sewer and stormwater or natural waterways and pipes.
Litter and pollution.
How can we save water so there is enough for everything that needs it?
How much water on earth is fresh / sea?
What do people use water for?
Where in our home / service do we find water?
Frog lifecycles.
How do fish breathe underwater?

Water Detectives: Ages - 3 to 5

What to do:

Preparation: Paper and drawing materials; clipboards,

Have a discussion with the children about how we use water (shower, bath, drinking, cooking, toilet, washing, growing food, gardening etc.). Have a look around your service with the children and find all the places where you find water (bathroom, laundry, kitchen, outside). How does it get to our houses?

Draw a map of your service and where you found water and what it is used for.

Provocations:

I wonder what we use water for?
I wonder where it comes from?
I wonder how it gets to the tap?
I wonder where it goes when it goes down the drain?

Take the children to find the water meter for your service (if you have one easily accessible). Make a note of the reading. Come back each day for a week and see how much water has been used. Create a graph for the wall and estimate how much water the children think they use each day or over the week.

After a week, look at the graph, have you used more or less than they thought you would? You can continue to check the readings once a week for a longer period of time to keep track.

Discuss ways you could use less water, for example:

Limit water for water play (have a container available then once it is empty its gone).
Put containers under taps in the bathroom sink to catch water during hand washing, put it on the garden.
Use unfinished drinking water to water plants.
Put mulch on the garden to reduce evaporation.
Consider installing a water tank.
Consider water-saving taps and fittings.
Have a water monitor.
Encourage the use of the half flush.

Implement as many of their ideas as you can and see if you can reduce your water use. You could ask a local plumber to come and talk with the children about their ideas. After these ideas have been implemented for a little while check your water use again and see if it has reduced.

Share your ideas actions and results with your families and community, and encourage them to implement water-saving actions at home. You can do this through your newsletter, website, displays or community events.

Possible lines of development:

The water cycle.
Water treatment.
Desalination.
How much of the world’s water is freshwater / seawater.
Types of water.
Litter and water pollution.
Visit your local creek, wetland or beach.
Arrange an incursion through your local water retailer or a local plumber.
Explore the difference between sewer and stormwater or natural waterways and pipes.
Discuss water availability around the world.
The different states of water (solid, liquid, gas).

Evaluation

Complete an analysis of learning listing evidence about:

Belonging	Finding something of interest
Communication	Expressing an idea or feeling
Exploration	Engaging with challenges and persisting when difficulties arise
Well being	Being involved

Embedding into daily practice

Use water consciously in your program as often as possible.
Model water-saving behaviours.
Make use of rain, puddles and your local environment to educate children about water.
Use water in art and craft activities (watercolour paints, rain painting, music, etc).
Install water-saving taps and fittings.
Encourage families to participate in water-saving activities.
Celebrate National Water Week.

Water Play

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